Week 8: Farne Island Hermitage to Bamburgh Castle

 Heading back to Seahouses from Inner Farne Island, we continue along St. Oswald’s Way 5km to the castle.

We pass Monk’s House along the way, the land given to the monks of Inner Farne after the 10^th century so that they could build a granary and storehouse there.

Then we reach Bamburgh Castle, built on a high outcrop of Whin Sill rock (below).

Image: Mat Fascione, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6020958, no changes

There has been habitation here since the ice-age nomads who populated the area. The neolithic peoples began farming, and the Bronze Age peoples further deforested the area for their field systems. There are remains of an Iron Age hill fort, and a British roundhouse dating from Roman times (possibly a fisherman’s due to the amount of periwinkle shells found here, which are used as bait). After the Romans left, the site became the capital of the British Kingdom of Gododdin in 420. This fort was called Din Guarie. In 547 the Angles (a Germanic tribe) invaded, and King Ida built his wooden castle on the site. In 615 his grandson King Aethelfrith renamed the castle Bebbanburgh after his new wife, Queen Bebba. King Aethelfrith was the father of Oswald and Oswy. The stone castle you see today was built in the 1100s.

Image: http://www.castleuk.net/castle_lists_north/75/bamburghcastle.html

The language spoken in Northumbria at that time was Old English or Anglo-Saxon, which was a mix of four dialects: Northumbrian (which later became Scots), Mercian (Anglian), Kentish, and Saxon (another Germanic tribe). 70% of the English language today is still Old English. St. Aidan spoke Gaelic (Irish) which was close enough to Northumbrian for him to communicate a little, but it was not like the Germanic languages of the invaders. The new way of life that the invaders brought with them was quite different from the Brittonic way of life. One of our old blog posts has an excerpt from Flame of the Heart:

“As they approached the kingdom of Oswald, Aidan began to speak to the people in the hill country. They spoke a language much like his own. They were often at least nominally Christian. If they were Christian, they could at least share the gospel and pray a little together. Aidan assumed that Christians liked to pray and wanted to share their faith. There were some language difficulties; but Aidan found apathy or indifference, when he encountered them, far harder to deal with. He also began to realize that within this kingdom of Oswald there was more than one kingdom to win for Christ. The people of the land were of a similar Celtic stock to himself. Rivers, hills, and landmarks all had strong Celtic names. It would only take a little practice and he would be able to communicate with the native people. The real difficulty was their fear and resentment of the English. Oswald was a foreigner and an invader. The English were the enemy of occupation, who had driven many of the British off their land and from their homes. Aidan realized that much of his work would be one of reconciliation, the building up of trust and good relationships. His heart went out to these people who were oppressed. He wanted them to know the gospel of liberty and love, also of forgiveness and acceptance. He would have dearly liked to stay among the hill peoples, but his call was to the coast and the fortress of Bamburgh.

At last they came in sight of the eastern sea. It had not appeared until their journey was nearly over. It would be good to get sea air into their lungs again. They were aware that the people they met now were different; these were warrior peoples, even though they were settling in farmsteads. But they were people of culture. Aidan thought some had heard of Christ, but now the language was a major difficulty. The brothers were not able to communicate with many people at all. For this reason, when possible, they avoided the little scattered communities, and still bore eastwards. The coast was not far away but they traveled on the other side of the hills, making straight for the capital.

  When they came to the coast it was to a wide sweeping bay. The tide was out and they could hardly see the sea. There were sea birds aplenty. Evening prayers were said with a heron fishing nearby. The heron had been one of Columba’s favorite birds and it made the little group feel at home. 

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/bamburgh-castle-2.html, no changes

During these last few miles they had seen more people, and the road seemed to be busy with soldiers. They noticed that some of the soldiers were carrying what must have been booty. One more steep hill, and then a great vista opened up before them. There was a lot of woodland, but much land had been cleared. Directly ahead was a great rock, standing proud in the landscape. Below it was a sprinkling of cottages, and fields with cottages and sheep. On the rock there was a mighty palisade, a fortress truly fit for a king. Beyond it was the sea. Smoke was rising from one or two areas on the high rock. It seemed to be well-fortified, with many inhabitants. As the brothers approached the gates they were stopped by a sentry. They explained who they were, but the language barrier caused difficulty. They repeated the name ’Oswald’ more than once, and ‘Iona’ again and again. But the guards did not understand enough to make any headway. Then one guard left and returned with a tall, slim regal-looking man with a short pointed beard. Aidan’s heart leaped. Surely this was Oswald himself. The king had come out to meet them. Recognizing their attire, Oswald welcomed them in their own tongue. He issued an order to his guards which Aidan and his followers did not understand, but they were ushered in quickly.”

Image: Lisa Jarvis, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/456416, no changes

This extract is taken from 'Flame of the Heart' by David Adam, pgs. 38-40, and is reproduced by kind permission of SPCK in one of our old blog posts. You can read the book or order the book from our library here:  

https://www.librarycat.org/lib/saintaidan/item/198357119

[bamburgh.org.uk, bamburghcastle.com, co-curate.ncl.ac.uk, englandnortheast.co.uk, Smithsonianmag.com, St. Oswald's Way and St. Cuthbert's Way by Rudolf Abraham, wikipedia]

Week 7: Alnwick to Farne Islands Hermitage

 We now take a quick detour from St. Oswald’s Way, heading 6 km inland along River Aln (below) from Alnmouth to Alnwick.

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnmouth.html, no changes

Alnwick (pronounced ‘Annick’ and meaning ‘place on the Aln’) is an old settlement built at a crossing point of River Aln and is still in use today. Alnwick Castle (below), built in 1096 and the 2^nd largest lived-in castle today (Windsor Castle is the 1^st), it guards the crossing of River Aln. Before that was an agricultural settlement in 600, likely built near the ruins of a Roman fort. The castle grounds include outstanding gardens, click here to see photos: https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnwick-2.html

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnwick-2.html, no changes

There are two ruined Abbeys in Alnwick, Alnwick Abbey from 1147 and Hulne Priory (below) from 1240. The village church is built where there was an earlier church from 730. 

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/hulne-park.html#gallery/2456dd03ecd2edce2cd97101ce52ba4c/48498, no changes

Continuing on St. Oswald’s Way, we leave Alnwick, head back to Alnmouth and then head up along the coast to Seahouses. 

Image: Contours Walking Holidays, https://www.contours.co.uk/st-oswalds-way, no changes

At Marden Rocks on the beach, we see the edge of the Whin Sill, the large sheet of hardened lava that covers the land in this area. You can see the hexagonal shapes below, made as the lava hardened. Click here to see more photos: https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnmouth.html

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/alnmouth.html, no changes

We pass Howick Hall where Earl Grey Tea was first blended, for Earl Grey and his family. Then Howick Hill Fort from the Bronze Age, and then one of the oldest roundhouses from the Middle Stone Age at 7000 yrs old (below is a reconstruction). 

Image: Andrew Curtis, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13804187

Coming up to the village of Craster (below left), we see Dunstanburgh Castle. Built in 1313 on the clifftop of Craster Heugh (hill) it was built on the site of both an Iron Age Hill Fort and a Roman outpost, called Crawe Ceastre (Crow's Castle) in the 7th century.

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/craster.html, no changes

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/beadnell.html, no changes

Next, we pass through Beadnell, where St. Ebba had a church in the 7th century at Ebb's Nook, a spit of land extending into the sea.

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/beadnell.html, no changes

And then we are in Seahouses, where we can take a boat out to the Farne Islands. There are 28 islands, more than half of which disappear at high tide. Inner Farne is the largest of the Islands, and this is where St. Aidan built a Celtic cell, a little round house of stone, and guest accommodations. St. Cuthbert retired here after being the Prior of Lindisfarne and died here in 687. The island attracted a steady stream of pilgrims which is how the islands got their name - it became known as 'the Isle of Pilgrims' (Farena Ealande in Norse).

Image: Stephen McKay, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1899768, no changes

[wikipedia, parishmouse.co.uk, andrewswalks.co.uk, Walking St. Oswald's Way and St. Cuthbert's Way by Rudolf Abraham, crastervillage.org.uk, nationaltrust.org.uk]

 

Week 6: Haltwhistle to Alnmouth

 St. Oswald’s Way will have a large variance of kilometers over the next 4 weeks, so walking groups can average the following amounts over the 4 weeks if they like, making it 50.5 km per week:

Week 6: Haltwhistle to Alnwick – 123 km

Week 7: Alnwick to Farne Islands Hermitage – 41 km

Week 8: Farne Islands to Bamburgh Castle – 5 km

Week 9: Bamburgh Castle to Lindisfarne Priory – 33km

To see a map of St. Oswald’s Trail, click here: https://www.stoswaldsway.com/

This week we start at Haltwhistle and head back to Hexham. It is 7.5 km from Hexham up to the village of  Heavenfield, where St. Oswald’s Way starts at the wooden cross. 

Image: David Dixon, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3191606, no changes

Heavenfield is the site of the battle between St. Oswald and the Kings of Wales and Merica in 635, when Oswald became King of Northumbria. Oswald was said to have erected a cross here before the battle and asked his soldiers to pray. Oswald’s smaller forces then miraculously defeated the much larger forces of Wales and Mercia. St. Oswald’s church now stands where a 7th-century church was built at the site of the cross. The church has never had electricity and uses gas lamps and candle-light during services. To read more about the church (below), click here:

https://www.britainexpress.com/counties/northumbria/churches/heavenfield.htm

Photo: https://www.britainexpress.com/counties/northumbria/churches/heavenfield.htm

We walk east along Hadrian’s Wall past some Roman Forts. Hadrian’s Wall follows the Whin Sill (below), a great sheet of rock formed when molten rock oozed up through cracks in the earth’s crust 295 million years ago. It stretches from one side of the country to the other and Hadrian’s Wall is built on its hard outcrops, as well as many of its forts, Bamburgh Castle, Lindisfarne Priory, and the Farne Islands Hermitage.

Photo: Rudi Winter, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6162779, no changes

After crossing Dere Street, we head North through small villages, farms, and fields, passing Todridge Fell (fell means hill), Duns Moor, and Bavington Crags (a Whin Sill outcrop) on our left. We pass through Kirkwhelpington (it has a 13th-century church), Knowesgate (knowe means hill and is pronounced ‘now’), Camp Hill (the site of an Iron Age hill fort), and through several forested areas. In the photo below, you can see Camp Hill to the left, and the St. Oswald’s Way path through the field.

Image: Oliver Dixon, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6162779,  no changes

We then follow paths through the moorland in Northumberland National Park, past the wind and ice sculpted Dove Crag (below) where wild goats are seen, and past Lordenshaws where we find Neolithic rock art and an Iron Age hill fort.

Image: John Watson , https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/431209, no changes

Passing through Rothbury, a market town at the River Coquet crossing that had a church in the 7th century, we walk east along the River Coquet valley for 29 km to the coast. As the river winds its way back and forth along the valley floor, we cross many bridges and pass through several forested areas. Warkworth, on the coast, is situated in a tight bend of River Coquet, with an impressive 12th-century castle and a 12th-century church built on the site of a previous church dating from the 7th-century. Click here to read more about it:

https://www.britainexpress.com/counties/northumbria/churches/warkworth.htm

There is also a hermitage carved out of the sandstone rock in 1340, accessible only by boat.

Image: Graham Horn, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1511958, no changes

And 1.6 km offshore is Coquet Island, a monastic site in the 7^th century. The present-day lighthouse incorporates parts of a 14^th century monastic cell.  

Image: Mat Fascione, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5870454, no changes

Walking north to Alnmouth, we walk along the dunes and saltmarsh. Below is Church Hill, probably the site of an early church, with newer churches built on the same spot, looking across to the village of Alnmouth.

Image: Andrew Curtis, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5870454, no changes

Present-day Alnmouth was founded in 1152 and became a busy port until a huge storm in 1806 broke through the dunes and changed the course of River Aln, silting in part of the harbor and cutting off Church Hill from the village.

Image: BazzaDaRambler - Alnmouth, Northumberland ... the last of summer, probably., CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22035776

The river mouth has always been an important harbor and has been lived in since Mesolithic times. It was well protected, built on a spit of land extending out into the sea, with the river protecting its other side.  Although there was no Roman fort here, the harbor was used to transport goods and soldiers. There has been a long history of a Christian presence here as St. Cuthbert was elected Bishop of Lindisfarne at a Synod held here in 684 and there have been churches and monasteries here since then.

Our next post will have us walking from Alnmouth to Alnwick.

[britainexpress.com, Walking St. Oswald’s Way and St. Cuthbert’s Way (Rudolf Abraham)]

Week 5: Ebchester Monastery to Aidan’s Church in Haltwhistle

 This leg of our journey is 45 km.

We leave Ebchester and head northwest along Dere Street for 17 km. 

Click here to see the map:

https://gb.mapometer.com/walking/route_4253016.html

We pass Apperley Dene, where there was once a Roman/British settlement but which was not settled in the 7^th century, and cross the water at Stocksfield Burn (below). Nearby Stocksfield has a church built in 803 with roman stone. 

Image: Clive Nicholson, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1614168 no changes.

We then come to Corbridge (below), the most Northerly town in Roman Britain. Corbridge was called Coria in roman times and was at the junction of Dere Street (running North-South) and Stanegate Road, which ran East-West from Corbridge to Carlisle through the Tyne Valley.

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/corbridge.html

Coria started as a garrison of 1,000 soldiers but eventually became a large town with a military presence. The ruins of the Roman fort and town are well-preserved here.

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/corbridge.html

To see more wonderful photos of Corbridge, click here:

 https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/corbridge.html

Following Stranegate inland along the River Tyne, we go west for 28 km to Haltwhistle.

Stanegate (meaning ‘stone road’) was built before Hadrian’s Wall, following an existing track made by the first peoples. There is much evidence of settlements and farming from 1000 BC along the Tyne Valley. Hadrian built his wall later along this route, partially to keep the Northern tribes from raiding the lead and silver mines in this area. There were forts along Stanegate originally at every day’s march, Hadrian added more so that there were forts every half-day’s march. Below is the River Tyne, looking west from the bridge at Corbridge, just before we turn to follow the river to Haltwhistle on Stanegate Road.

Image: Andrew Locking, https://www.andrewswalks.co.uk/corbridge.html

Next we reach Hexham, where St. Wilfrid built Hexham Abbey in 674. St. Wilfrid had been taught at Lindisfarne and travelled to Rome. Upon his return he built one of the first churches in Britain to be made completely with stone, which he got from the Roman fort in Corbridge and from Hadrian’s Wall. King Elfwald was buried here in 788 and the original crypt (below) is still present in the current church.

Image: https://britishpilgrimage.org/portfolio/hadrians-wall-pilgrims-way/

Two years later St. Wilfrid built St. Andrew’s Church in Corbridge. They were built around the same time as Jarrow-Monkswearmouth and are quite similar. There is also mention of a monastery in Corbridge in 786.

Bardon Mill is the next place of interest on Stanegate. There is another very well preserved Roman Fort here. You can see the fort below, with Stanegate running north in a straight line beside it. 

Image: http://irisonline.org.uk/index.php/features/347-the-stanegate-frontier-life-in-roman-britain-before-hadrian-s-wall

And finally we get to Haltwhistle, where St. Paulinus, St. Aidan, St. Cuthbert and even St. Patrick are a part of the history of this town.

Image: https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/places-to-visit/hadrians-wall/haltwhistle/

Haltwhistle is the closest settlement to Hadrian’s wall, just a 3.6 km walk up Haltwhistle Burn. The settlement got its name from its location on a hill between the River Tyne and Haltwhistle Burn (haut = high, twistle = between two rivers). Haltwhistle Holy Cross Church (below) is on the hill and is one of the oldest working churches in England, dating from the 1200s.

Image: Andy Parrett

It is near ‘Llan Aidan’ (Aidan’s Church) and St. Aidan would very likely have preached here. The oldest part of the church is the font, a slab of rock with a basin carved out to hold Holy Water. It was likely from a Roman temple and used by St. Paulinus as a baptismal font.

St. Paulinus came to Northumbria in 625 with Ethelburg, the sister of the King of Kent. She came north to marry King Edwin and brought priests with her so she could continue to practice Christianity even though King Edwin was Pagan. St. Paulinus was Italian, tall and awe-inspiring, and preached mostly in the Haltwhistle area.  King Edwin was baptized at Walltown, 7km from Haltwhistle. There is still a natural spring here called The Kings Well. St. Paulinus also baptized St. Hilda and Eanfled (King Edwin’s daughter, who later came north with Utta to marry King Oswy in Week 3). St. Paulinus left Northumbria with Ethelburg and Eanfled when King Edwin died in 633, returning to Kent.

Image from https://heavyangloorthodox.blogspot.com/2019/10/holy-hierarch-paulinus-of-york-and.htm

St Cuthbert visited the area, stopping at Great Chesters, built near the Roman fort Aesica (below) while traveling the Stanegate Road from Hexham to Carlisle. Great Chesters is at Hadrian's Wall, just up Haltwhistle Burn and to the west a bit. The walls below were 12 feet high in the mid-1800s.

Image: Mike Quinn, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3738504, no changes

The Roman Fort called Haltwhistle Burn Fort is located at the wall and consisted of several small camps. There was also a corn mill on Haltwhistle Burn on the north side of the wall at Cawfields, which would have been able to feed 460 people plus animals at the nearby Great Chesters Fort. This is the most intact portion of Hadian’s wall.

Image from https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/walk/winshield-crags-cawfields/

St. Patrick was born at the nearby fort of Banna (below, next to Hadrian.s Wall), 9km from Haltwhisle, shortly after the Romans abandoned the area. This area is now called Birdoswald, the name of a farm that used to be there. Legend has it that Patrick was captured by Irish pirates when he was 16 and kept as a slave in Ireland for 6 years, where he became a Christian. After escaping and returning home, he then traveled around Europe to various abbeys, learning and becoming a missionary to Ireland. He died around 480 and by the 600’s he was already the patron saint of Ireland.

Image: Colin Smith, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2921615 no changes

Next week we travel from Haltwhistle back to Hexham, and then start on St. Oswald’s Way walking trail, crossing the wild moors and stopping at Alnwick. 

[ancientmonuments.uk, corbridge.ukpc.net, englandsnortheast.co.uk,visitnorthumberland.com, wikipedia]

Week 4: Utta Abbey to Ebchester Monastery

 Starting in Gateshead, we continue heading inland, going west along the River Tyne. We cross the River Team where it enters into the Tyne and come to the River Derwent where it enters the River Tyne (below).

Image: Anthony Foster, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6477419 , no changes

We follow the River Derwent south to Ebchester. Walking along Derwent Walk Country Park trails, we go through the ancient woodlands, meadows, wetlands and riversides of Derwenthaugh Pays Park.

Image: Alan Fearon, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/71747 no changes

We then walk along the Derwent Walk Railway Path where we cross over many ‘burns’ (creeks).

Image:Dennis Lovett, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5311253  no changes

Finally reaching Ebchester which was once a Roman fort, built where Dere Street (the roman road from York to Hadiran’s Wall) crossed the River Derwent. You can see Dere Street in the photo below, heading up the far hillside after passing through Ebchester.

Image: Dennis Lovett, https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3871697  

St. Ebba was the sister of King Oswald and King Oswy. At the same time that the new King Oswald sent for St. Aidan from the Iona Monastery, Ebba joined her brother at Bamburgh. Five years after St. Aidan arrived, Ebba took the veil (became a nun) at Lindisfarne in 640, the same year Hartlepool Abbey was founded. 

Image: Early British Kingdoms, https://orthochristian.com/133791.html

Ebba is thought to have founded a nunnery at Ebchester, the site of a Roman fort on the edge of the Black Moors. The roman fort, parts of it still visible in Ebchester, had 500 soldiers and was used for 300 years as a stopping point on Dere Street, the main road from York to Hadrian’s Wall.

Image: https://www.u3ahadrianswall.co.uk/wordpress/forts-south-of-the-wall/ebchester-roman-fort-vindomora/ 

The current St. Ebba’s Church in Ebchester has a foundation built in the early 1000’s and was built re-using the stone from the roman fort. It’s communion table is an ancient altar slab inscribed with 3 crosses and the font is made from a roman altar. It is located in the southern corner of the fort and is thought to be the site of Ebba’s nunnery. Before St. Hilda became abbess of Hartlepool in 649, Ebba had already moved on to found a double monastery at St. Abb’s. After Ebba left, and as it was so isolated, many hermits came to live there and by the 1100’s the area was known as ‘the place of the anchorites’. You can see the church tower and Ebchester below:

Image: http://www.ebchester.org/gallery/ebchester-today/

[wikipedia, orthochristian.com, ebchester.org, ukga.org]

This week we will be starting to track the kilometers of our walk for two groups of people:

1. Those who are keeping track of their steps and kilometers
2. Walking Groups.

 If you are interested, here are the km we have already done:

 Week 1: Whitby Abbey to Hartlepool Abbey = 45 km.

Week 2: Hartlepool Abbey to Tynemouth Monastery = 40 km.

Week 3: Tynemouth Monastery to Utta Abbey = 22 km.

 Week 4: Utta Abbey to Ebchester Monastery = 18 km

All km's are as the crow flies, not taking into account having to walk upstream to river crossings and around the dene's (ravines). 

Look at the amount of walking they would have had to do in the 7^th century, taking days to get somewhere we can drive in an hour!